short balls: lacoste in dubai, etc.

Lacoste sponsors a children’s clinic at the Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open this week. It’s just an article from a press release, but a few factoids: The crocodile logo came from a wager that Lacoste made with his team captain that if a certain match was won, the captain would buy him an alligator suitcase. Alligator turned into crocodile, and there you have it. His logo was the first ever used on the outside of a shirt. He also invented the ball machine and the first steel tennis racquet. (via Dubai City Guide)

And Orange County Register‘s Jeff Miller expounds on the ever-growing madness of clothing lines for athletes, including ping pong players and professional fishermen, and Anna Kournikova (she gets press, even in 2007!).